Agent Avenue Review
While the song may tell me to rock down to Electric Avenue, I’d much rather be laying cards down in Agent Avenue. It might not sound quite as cool, but I’m comfortable with my geeky and nerdy status. Let me tell you why it would be my preference in this board game review of Agent Avenue!
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Setup
Players choose whether they want to play as the cat or dog and whether to play with Black Market cards or not. Place the board appropriate side up accordingly between the players and then place the cat and dog tokens on their respective starting spaces. Shuffle the deck of cards and deal four cards to each player. If playing with the Black Market cards, shuffle those and reveal three. You are ready to play.
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Gameplay
In a two player game, on your turn you will choose two cards and place one face up and one face down. They cannot be the same card unless in the rare instance you have no choice. From this choice of two cards your opponent will pick a card and you will receive the remaining one. The card each player obtains will dictate how their token moves. If it is the second card of a type that movement may be different and if it is the third of that type it may move differently again, so I tend to stack them as if I was set collecting. It is then the other player’s turn and roles are reversed. You keep playing until either token overtakes the other on the track on the board, thus capturing it. There are two cards in the game that can win or lose you the game if you collect three of them too.
In the four player team variant game, you form two teams with limited communication. One of you will place your card face down without stating what it is, and the other will place one of theirs face up. Pretty much all you can say is whether you want to go first or second. But all the other rules apply. A three player game would be two (using the above method) vs one.
If playing with the Black Market cards, then whenever you land on one of the trash symbols on the board you can pick a card. These either offer alternative win conditions or rules, or give a one-off bonus.
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What it’s like
Agent Avenue is so super simple, yet the decisions are agonising, whether laying down your own cards or choosing which one to pick. This dilemma is the crux of the game! It is ultimately the simplest ‘I split you choose’ mechanic I have ever encountered, but this pure form of it is no less bewildering than in other meatier games.
You will ask yourself over and over again, do you place a good card face up hoping they leave the face down card which is better for you, or play a face down card that’s a trap for them, and hope they think if the face up card is that good, how good must the face down card be?
I really appreciate the variety of cards. They offer a fantastic risk/reward scenario throughout the game and add to the tenseness of the dividing and picking process. I think my favourite way of playing it is at two players and without the Black Market cards, but most will enjoy the variety this brings over time.
Games last around five minutes so you will regularly be asking for the best of three or five!
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Table Presence
I will say the theme of being secret agents on a street, using friends to track each other down doesn’t really shine through, but I’m more than happy to gloss over that as the gameplay shines through.
It seems I am a sucker for some anthropomorphic animals and the artwork on these cards proves that. They are absolutely delightful in their whimsy. I also cannot tell you how pleased and impressed I am that even though you have up to six of each card, they all have unique art as the characters adopt different poses. It is a little detail that gains huge respect from me! I have sleeved the cards, I don’t normally but any marks would give the game away.
Although the footprint of the game is small I really like how it sits in front of you. The rulebook was great, there isn’t a lot to this one, but it delivers the information and answered all my questions so far!
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What the kids thought
Harrison (16): I think it is really clever and I really enjoy playing it. I love it when I get in my opponent’s head as that adds to the game. I also like how it is quick enough to play a few games on the bounce.
Final thoughts on Agent Avenue
The board game’s winning formula of super simple gameplay with agonising decision making is superb. The handful of people I have introduced Agent Avenue to have thoroughly enjoyed it and instantly wanted to play it again. I have even introduced it to other couples and watched them play without playing myself, as it is entertaining just seeing the squirms and bluffing. Most have gone on to purchase it too.
I think some people will view this as too light for them, and it may well be. However, I think it has a brilliant mix of being simple enough to play with kids eight years and up, but still has enough about it with the simple bluffing to play with serious gamers. It is this enticing gameplay that has seen Agent Avenue rocket into being one of my most played games of the year, despite my first play only being on the 22nd of October!
Key Facts
Number of players: 2 (with a 3 & 4 player variant)
Board Game Review Recommended Age: 8+
Publisher’s Recommended Age: 8+
Playing Time: 5 minutes
Setting Up and Take Down Time: 1 minute
Designers: Christian Kudahl and Laura Kudahl
Publisher: Nerdlab Games
RRP: £19.99
Summary
Agent Avenue is really very, very good. Simple to pick up and play, yet totally addictive. Every play seems to offer a memorable moment. Agent Avenue is super easy for me to recommend as a must try game, so be sure to check it out if you get the opportunity.
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Artwork and Components
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Complexity
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Instructions
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Interaction
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Value for Money
Overall
Pros
- Great artwork
- Simple to pick up and play
- I split, you choose mechanic is fantastic
- Agonising decisions
Cons
- Currently easiest to get from Nerdlabs direct and shipping from Germany isn’t cheap.
- Younger players may not be as competitive
- Theme is questionable
Need more games?
If you already own Agent Avenue and enjoy it, or are looking for other inspiration, you might also like these similar games:
- King and Assasins
- Unmatched
- Mr Jack
- Rome in a Day
Buy Agent Avenue
If you want to buy Agent Avenue after reading our review click on one of our affiliate links below (note there has been no affiliate links until this point)
Reviewer’s Note
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